Prince William issued a short defense of his family amid the allegations of racism from his brother, Prince Harry, and sister-in-law, Meghan Markle.
He said the royals are “very much not a racist family” on Thursday during a visit to an East London school and revealed he hadn’t spoken to his brother since the Sunday interview with Oprah Winfrey.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex described a tough situation as members of the royal family during the interview. Markle, a former Suits actress, claimed an unnamed family member expressed concern over how “dark” their baby’s skin would be, while Harry said off-camera that neither Queen Elizabeth II, his grandmother, nor Prince Philip, his grandfather, were responsible for making the comment.
Prince William’s short remarks make him the first family member to speak out on the allegations, although Buckingham Palace released a statement on the queen’s behalf Tuesday.
“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” the palace said. “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.”
The U.K. media, which Markle also railed against for their coverage of her, has also faced the brunt of the interview.
Piers Morgan, the longtime host of Good Morning Britain, is out at ITV after he said he didn’t “believe a word” Markle said during the interview. On his final day on-air, Morgan stormed off the set after he received pushback from a colleague. Even after his departure, Morgan stuck by his claims about Markle.
Ian Murray, the executive director of the Society of Editors, a major British press organization, stepped down from his role after he issued a statement about the interview which critics felt downplayed the severity of racism in the media, according to the Associated Press.
The group, an umbrella organization for nearly 400 newspapers and other media outlets, released a statement about the interview saying the U.K. media “is not bigoted and will not be swayed from its vital role holding the rich and powerful to account following the attack on the press,” by Harry and Markle. More than 160 reporters and editors signed a letter saying the group was “in denial” about racism.
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Last month, the Sussexes announced that they would not return as working royals, instead deciding to continue to reside in California.
